TAP 228- 3: Materials database
Here are data for about a dozen properties of some 50 materials in Excel spreadsheet format.
You can create lists ordered by property, search for materials with properties in certain
ranges, etc. To compare pairs of properties, it is best to use the selection charts.
If you double click on the chart below it will open as an Excel spreadsheet that can be copied
and used.
Density The Young
/ kg m-3 Modulus / GPa
Cotton
Leather
Silk
Wool
Al Alloy
Austenitic Stainless Steel
Brass
Cast Iron
Copper
Gold
High Alloy Steel
Lead
Low Alloy Steel
Mg Alloy
1540
920
1300
1300
2700
7800
8200
7400
8935
19300
8300
11350
7850
1800
5
0.22
8.7
4.5
77
200
110
130
130
78
240
14
210
43
Toughness Elastic Limit
/ MPa
/ J m-2
400
67000
230
440
9300
8900
24000
3400
32000
46000
2000
5400
14000
5000
Energy Content
/ MJ kg-1
190
3.2
350
89
120
410
190
230
120
28
1600
6.9
740
170
Possible uses of the spreadsheet:
1.
Simple reference source for materials data – e.g. to solve quantitative problems
involving materials selection, e.g. perhaps calculate the necessary thickness for
required thickness or strength of a cantilever.
2.
Sort by property, e.g. which are the ten toughest materials in the database?
3.
Search with logical operators, e.g. find all materials in the database stiffer than X,
stronger than Y, less dense than Z. Try doing this by reading the information from a
couple of charts.
4.
Explore combinations of material properties not provided as selection charts – e.g.
plot modulus against strength. Note that single 'typical' values are provided in the
database rather than the full range, so this does give a true selection chart, but can
identify interesting trends.
5.
Design problems often lead to combinations of properties for which high or low values
are required. A common example is 'specific stiffness' (the Young modulus divided
by density), which gives an indication of materials which are light and stiff. Specific
stiffness and strength are shown in one of the selection charts. Other compound
properties for particular design problems could be calculated and plotted using the
spreadsheet.
5.7
14
7.7
7.7
280
100
110
51
110
5800
66
40
71
400
Also provided, below is a data that provides definitions of the materials in the database, and
summarises their strengths and weaknesses in engineering design, typical applications and
environmental notes. This is a useful reference source for materials. Not all will be needed.
Materials information
Double click on the icon below to access a materials database. This is an html document and
will activate internet explorer. It has been virus checked.
Practical advice
This database has many potential uses e.g. comparison of experimental values.
Alternative approaches
Data books may be used to augment the information provided here. It has been deliberately
provided in an open format.
Social and human context
The ability to search, sort and calculate adds value to raw data.
External References
This activity is taken from Advancing Physics Chapter 4, file 10D